Kidepo Valley National Park “Rugged Remote Wilderness”
Kidepo Valley National Park is a classic Africa Wilderness and is the remotest safari destination in Uganda situated in the extreme northeastern corner, contingent with Kidepo Game Reserve in South Sudan.
Kidepo has an area of 1,200 square kilometers that is covered intriguing semi-arid wilderness, rugged mountain landscapes with seasonal rivers creating an enchanting sanctuary for exceptional safari game viewing, hiking and bird watching adventures.
The park used to be had to access for a Uganda safari as it is too remote, however due to newly paved access road, high class accommodations and a local airport supporting domestic and chartered flights, Kidepo Valley National Park is now becoming a top Uganda Safari destination.
Around Kidepo Valley National Park
The Park is enclosed by rugged mountain and is dominated by the Northern Kidepo River and the Southern Narus River thus creating the two wildlife endowed valleys that is the Narus Valley and Kidepo Valley. Narus Vally is the primate game viewing area in the park and overlooking the valley is the famous Apoka where the park headquarters are strategically found.
Kidepo National Park sits at an altitude between 914 m and 2,750m with Mount Murungole on the southern edge which is the highest point. From any point in the park, one can see the slightly higher Mount Lutoke which sits within the South Sudanese border.
The landscape of Kidepo is dominated by vast lightly wooded savannah interspersed with montane forest patches, riparian woodland, thick miombo woodland, Borassus palms and rocky koppies.
Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is arguably the wealthiest savannah park in Uganda hosting exceptionally rich population of predators with 20 species roaming the rugged semi-arid wilderness, the park is the only safari park in Uganda hosting the sleek cheetah, black-backed jackal, aardwolf, caracal and bat – eared fox. Other common predators found in Kidepo include side-striped jackal, spotted hyena, leopard, lion, genet, mongoose and many small cats.
The park also hots 5 primate species including the easily spotted patas monkey, Antelope species which are endemic to Kidepo such as greater kudu, lesser kudu, Guenther’s dik-dik, and mountain reedbuck. Other antelopes found in Kidepo Valley National Park include Jackson’s hartebeest, eland, bushbuck, common duiker, klipspringer, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, and bohor reedbuck. Other animals found in Kidepo Valley National park include elephants, Burchell’s zebra, warthog, bushpig, buffalo, and the localized Rothschild’s giraffe among others.
Birds in Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National park is a home to 463 species of birds with 60 species recorded nowhere else in the country but around the northern wilderness, Kidepo is second only to Queen Elizabeth national park.
The Park is rich in raptors with 56 species recorded including the dark chanting goshawk, pygmy falcon, tawny eagle, bataleur eagle, secretary bird, and many types of vultures.
Other birds found in Kidepo National Park include the ostrich, kori bustard, fox, and white-eyed kestrels, white-bellied go-away bird, carmine, little green, and red-throated bee-eaters, Abyssinian roller, Abyssinian scimitarbill, d’Arnauds, red-and-yellow and black-breasted barbets, red-billed, yellow-billed, and Jackson’s hornbills, Karamoja Apalis, rufous chatterer, northern brownbul, golden pipit, chestnut weaver, red-billed and white-headed buffalo weavers, and purple grenadier among others.
Safari activities to do in Kidepo Valley National Park
Game viewing in Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is listed among the best game viewing destinations in the world, this experience is facilitated by various game tracks running through the Kidepo Valley including Kakine, Katurum and Nagusokopire game circuits which meader around the Narus Valley allowing visitors to explore the wildlife rich areas in the valley.
Because of the semi-arid climate in the park, Kidepo National Park experience only one annual wet season meaning for the most time of the year. The park is dry thus consistent game viewing in the south region of the park in the Narus Valley, during the dry season, animals migrate south from the Kidepo Valley to find greenery in the swamps and residue pools in the Narus channel which offering the most rewarding game viewing in the park.
Animals to lookout for during game viewing in Kidepo include lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and jackals among others. Also, lookout for several bird species including secretary birds, ostriches among others.
Hiking / Nature Walks in Kidepo Valley National Park
Nature walk is a great way to explore the wilderness of Kidepo and its semi-arid landscape, the most popular hike in Kidepo is the short three (3) mile guided walk through Narus Valley that takes about 2 to 3 hours to walk.
On this walk, visitors get to experience the abundant wildlife within the backdrop of striking landscapes.
For visitors who prefer an extensive exploration of the park, there is a nine (9) mile route that follows the ridge line into the rugged slopes. On this trail, visitors can visit the gorgeous Borassus palm – covered Kidepo river valley and the Kanangorok hot springs.
Bird Watching
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the top bird watching destinations in Africa and Uganda as well, the park is home to a record of 480 species of birds with 28 species from the Somali – Masai and Sudan – Guinea Savannah Biomes and species which are endemic to this area.
Kidepo is also the only Important Birding Area located entirely within the Somali – Masai Biome and supports some of the rarest species in Uganda such as black – breasted barbet and Karamoka Apalis.
Bird watching in Kidepo Valley National Park offers you a chance to spot various colorful birds such as Vinaceous Dove, Hoopoe, Nubian Woodpecker, Mosque Swallow, Common Ostrich, Secretary Bird, African Swallow-tailed Kite, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Fox Kestrel, Stone Partridge, Clapperton’s and Heuglin’s Francolins, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Kori, White-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, Violet-tipped Courser, Black-headed Plover, Four-banded Sand Grouse, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-crested Turaco, White-bellied Go-away bird, White-faced Scoops Owl, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Little Green Bee-eater, Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers, the Ruppell’s and Superb Starlings, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Little Weaver and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu among others.
The Narus Valley Trail is the best trail to use for bird watching in Kidepo National Park.
Local Culture Encounters in Kidepo Valley National Park
The Northeast region of Uganda is home to two minor ethnic groups that is the Ik and the Karamojong nomadic pastoralists, these people similarities to the Masai people of Kenya and Tanzania and they all share an obsession with cattle.
The Karamojong tribe is divided into six groups each with its own dialect of the Nilotic Karamoja language, these two groups are the Napore and Nyangia who have abandoned their traditional ways for an agriculture – based lifestyle while the Tueso are hunter-gatherers who have moved from the dry plains into the mountains.
Visiting the Karamojong clan villages will give you an insight into their fascinating cultural practices, be entertained by local dances and folklore, take a short stop-over at Nakapelimoru while on your way from Moroto to Kidepo and also participate in cattle rearing.
The Ik people have the smallest population of ethnic group in Uganda with about 10,000 people, the, to visit these people you have to hike Mount Morungule and visit their villages to experience their way of life.
The Ik People live on the mountain and they only travel to the lowlands to trade grain.
Best time to visit Kidepo Valley National Park
The best time to go for a safari in Kidepo National Park is immediately after the rainy season in September, October, November and through the long dry season through December to April. The park has one raint season between March and April and does not share the same weather conditions as the rest of UGANDA.
Uganda has two peak travel periods falling between December to February and June to August. If you are planning to visit Uganda during the peak seasn, the best time to add Kidepo on your itinerary is during the driest months between December to February.
Also, seasons of April and August offer a mixture of dry and wet periods with a moderate number of visitors into Kidepo. In this period you will spot a decent number of animals.
The best time for birding is during the wet season which offers lush, green scenery and crisp air, the wet season is a good time to spot the migratory birds.
Getting There
Kidepo can be accessed by road and air means of transport.
By road – it is a drive of 10 hours from Entebbe with a night at Mount Elgon, from Murchison Falls National Prk it is a drive of 7 hours via Gulu – Kitgum road on a paved road.
By air – there are scheduled fly-in or chartered small aircraft from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kidepo airstrip near Apoka.
Where to stay in Kidepo Valley National Park
There is limited accommodation facilities in Kidepo National park, the best facility in the park is Apoka Safari Lodge- a luxury lodge located on a picturesque kopje overlooking the Narus Valley in the southwestern sector of the park.
Other accommodation options found around the park boundaries include Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, and Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp.
